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And to think the club appeared to be at breaking point just a matter of weeks ago.

Yet rather than crash and collapse, the players appear to have used the fall-out as a rude awakening. Rather than crumble, they've come together and Boro are now in a position where the Championship title is in their own hands once more.

We knew David Nugent's header against Hull was vital when it hit the net. It's a header which now appears to have been season deciding.

For while Boro are nowhere near over the line just yet, they do appear to have banished the below-par displays which saw them open the door to their promotion rivals and invite them all in.

They're closing that door more and more each week now. Continue in this fashion and Boro can lock it and secure their spot in next season's Premier League.

Huddersfield were useful; they were game, but they were no match for Boro. They were no match for Ramirez.

At the half hour mark David Wagner will have felt comfortable and content with what he'd seen. Come half-time his primary focus will have been damage limitation.

Another powerful 15 minute spell packed with pace and precision in the final third wrapped this up. That's the second game in succession Boro appear to have adopted a powerplay period which has rendered their opponents helpless.

Middlesbrough's Grant Leadbitter celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game

Huddersfield were helpless, though Dean Whitehead's brief lapse of concentration when he appeared to forget he no longer played for the home team at the Riverside didn't aid their cause as Gaston Ramirez nicked in to get Boro's second just moments after the first.

That was that, though it was the sheer serenity of the evening's work from there on in which was so impressive.

With what's at stake, you'd understand some slight angst at this stage of the season. Instead, there were roars of 'Ole' as Boro kept the ball and carved out chances in delightfully entertaining fashion.

The board to indicate three minutes of stoppage time was met by disappointment. We could have happily sat and watched a fair bit more.

And that must be Boro's target on Saturday and again next Tuesday - to continue in this impressive manner.

He certainly earned the approval of the boss last night and there have been signs of late that the playmaker is finding some form, even if he's struggled to maintain it throughout entire games since he switched to Boro on loan.

Gaston Ramirez scores Boro's second

But game time has helped him. And while Boro are no doubt benefiting from having Ramirez in that roaming role, the player himself will be extremely grateful for the chance to get his career back on track.

His career was drifting from him like he drifted away from defenders last night. Out in the cold at Southampton, he needed a move to reinvigorate his ailing stay in England.

Credit to Ramirez, not every player with such pedigree would be willing to drop out of the top flight. In fact, very few would agree to such a move.

Middlesbrough's Gaston Ramirez (left) celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game with teammate Grant Leadbitter

But Ramirez will have looked at the bigger picture, the chance that one step back could eventually mean two forward.

In the hustle and bustle of a league armed with defenders more than happy to make their presence felt, Ramirez looks undeterred. He looks top class.

In a campaign of bold investment, a loan signing could prove to be the shrewd game-changer. A game-changer for Boro's season and Ramirez's career.

What a time to hit the goal trail

Boro's defensive solidity has been the key to success this season, as it was last year.

But what a time for the side to put their eye in in front of goal.

That's six in two games now, two more goals than Boro managed throughout the entirety of March!

Add the strike against Hull to the mix and five Boro players have got on the scoresheet in the last three outings.

Grant Leadbitter and Albert Adomah celebrate 5/4/16 Pic Doug Moody

Boro have now scored as many as Hull and just two shy of Derby and Brighton, twinned, of course, with the best defensive record in the division.

They should have had more against Huddersfield as well. Jordan Rhodes had a couple of openings, Emilio Nsue went close and Cristhian Stuani failed to make contact with the ball when it looked harder to miss in the final seconds.

A far cry from those frustrating homes games when Boro struggled to carve out one opening in 90 minutes.

Let's hope Huddersfield are trendsetters

One of the primary reasons Boro created so many chances was because Huddersfield played into their hands.

Shutting up shop quickly became the norm at the Riverside this year for visiting teams but David Wagner isn't one to follow the trend.

Hopefully Preston and Reading will follow Huddersfield's lead. For while the Terriers tried to keep the ball and move it forward with the intention of causing problems - particularly in the first half an hour - they left themselves open at the back and at risk of being hit on the counter.

Boro, as you'd imagine, took advantage. Yet even in the second half the visiting side continued to insist to play the ball out from the back, to attempt to zip it around at pace, with minimum success it should be added.

Grant Leadbitter puts Boro ahead from the spot

The problem being they came up against a far superior side who pounced on even the slightest hint of a mistake.

"If we want to get a result against such a good team at this stage of the season when they are very focused then we have to make nearly everything right and in each position we have to perform well," said Wagner.

It was a pleasant change to the put up and shut up tactics of the majority.

Simon Grayson's Preston frustrated Boro on the first day of the season. They're far more experienced now and have enjoyed an excellent first season in the Championshiip, but the experienced boss may well feel his set-up on the opening weekend is best repeated this weekend.